Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
A diagnosis of ADHD can transform your life. It explains why some individuals struggle to stay focused, following directions or staying focused.
Ask your family doctor or therapist for a referral to a specialist. Contact your insurance company to see if it covers ADHD assessments for adults.
Diagnosis Process
A psychiatrist, psychologist, or specialist nurse will need to assess adults in order to make a proper diagnosis. They are the only healthcare providers who are able to determine the presence of ADHD in adults.
An in-depth interview about your health and symptoms is usually the first step in an initial evaluation. The healthcare professional could also ask how long you've had symptoms and how they affect you. They may also ask to talk to an immediate family member or friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluation could also include questions about your childhood. Because current guidelines do not allow a physician to diagnose ADHD in adults without evidence of the disorder being present in childhood, your healthcare provider might be able to examine your school records or talk with teachers or other people who knew you as a kid. They may also inquire if you have experienced any other mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
In certain instances an evaluator might suggest cognitive tests, such as IQ testing or assessments for memory or learning problems. They may also recommend that you take other kinds of medical tests to rule out any physical conditions which could be causing your symptoms.
If your healthcare professional is certain that your symptoms are due to ADHD they might suggest additional diagnostic tests to confirm and determine the severity of the condition. These tests could include urine and blood tests, medical examinations and, possibly, psychological or educational tests.
Tests will be used to determine the concentrations of certain chemicals that may be associated with ADHD in your body, for example dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. They will also test your heart rate and blood pressure. They may also give you the spirometry test, which will measure the capacity of your lungs. They may also recommend that you undergo an MRI of your brain to check for structural or functional abnormalities. In certain instances your evaluator may suggest that you or a child be evaluated for disorders that have similar symptoms to ADHD, like depression and anxiety or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are a variety of ADHD questions and quizzes that can act as a screening instrument before you schedule an appointment with your doctor. These tests can provide you with the information that you may have ADHD, but the clinical interview with your doctor is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.
The process can last from between 2 and 3 hours. It includes a time spent explaining to the patient what we know about ADHD and how it could affect their symptoms. It may also include the doctor seeking out a history of depression or substance abuse since these conditions are often co-occurring with ADHD.
A good diagnostic interview will involve a discussion of the patient's symptoms and their impact, and the psychologist or psychiatrist will use a checklist designed to evaluate hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattentiveness. The psychologist or psychiatrist will also need to look over the student's school records and speak with teachers. If the patient is an adult or spouse, a family members could also be interviewed. Personal experience can reveal details that are not available through questionnaires.
Some doctors are rushed and do not complete this step, or they may insist on seeing a patient only once, rather than conducting an extensive examination. This can cause doctors to make an incorrect diagnosis. If a doctor is too firmly rooted in the criteria used to diagnose ADHD and states that a patient must display more than six symptoms in order to receive a diagnosis this is a red flag.
For adults, the evaluator might request the patient to fill out scores for each symptom on an ADHD checklist and give examples of how these symptoms have affected the patient's life. The evaluation will then compare the scores against the checklist and evaluate for ADHD.
It's often a relief for some adults to finally be given an ADHD diagnosis. The deep-seated emotions, such as guilt or resentment for not meeting expectations or that the disorder wasn't noticed until later in the life, can be a bit complicated. ADHD is characterized by impulsivity and a lack of focus. These characteristics can have negative consequences in a variety of fields, including relationships, careers, and health.
The Tests
It can be difficult and confusing to obtain an ADHD diagnosis. It requires a lot of paperwork, interviews, and tests. The best way to prepare is to ask for recommendations from friends, family and doctors you trust. You should also research the physician and their professional qualifications to ensure they're a good fit to your needs. It is essential to find a doctor who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that your child or you receives an accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment.
An interview with an evaluation expert is the first step in an ADHD assessment. The evaluator will ask you or your child questions to find out more about your symptoms. The evaluator would like to know how your symptoms impact your life and if they affect school, work or relationships. The evaluator might also employ rating scales to assess your ADHD symptoms. They usually comprise checklists that ask you or someone who is close to you to answer a series of questions. For instance, you might be asked if you often miss appointments, or you might be asked how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also ask those who know you or your child well to complete questionnaires based on their observations of your behavior. For adults, this could be spouses and siblings and for children, it could be coaches, teachers or even daycare workers. Personal insight can uncover information that cannot be gleaned from a questionnaire.
I Am Psychiatry can also conduct cognitive tests to determine if learning or mental disorders contribute to your symptoms. They could also test for mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder as well as for signs of psychosis in the early stages or drug abuse. They may also screen for underlying medical conditions like hypothyroidism or seizure disorders.
Some evaluators will give you or your child an ADHD screening test that measures how you respond to target and non-target stimuli. The TOVA (Timed On Only Visual Attention) is a computerized test cleared by the FDA that measures your ability to pay attention to detail and recall a variety of geometric shapes. The test examines how often you respond non-target stimuli, and how long it takes you to respond to target stimuli. This can help evaluators to determine whether you have impulsive ADHD or inattentive ADHD.
Follow-up
Several kinds of mental health professionals can offer ADHD evaluations and make a diagnosis. This could include a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or neurologist. The doctor will want to know what your concerns are and how long the problems have been occurring. He will also ask about any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be 70%-80% hereditary. Genes play an important factor in determining if your child or you will suffer from symptoms.
He will ask about how ADHD affects you or your child at school, home, and work. He will inquire about your or your child's behavior across various settings, because the symptoms of ADHD are different when they are present in different environments. To be eligible for a diagnosis of ADHD you or your child must display six or more established symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning for at least 6 months.
To make a correct diagnosis, the specialist will need to rule other conditions out. This could include psychiatric disorders that are not listed including anxiety and mood disorders, intellectual disabilities, and medical conditions that affect the brain, such as thyroid disorders. In addition, the doctor will inquire about your or your child's sleeping patterns and any accidents or injuries that may have affected the development of your or your child's brain.
The doctor will also determine whether the symptoms of ADHD in your children or yourself are related to any health conditions or medications you or your child take. The side effects of stimulant medication like those used to treat ADHD, can include stomachaches and trouble sleeping. These side effects can be caused by other medications, including sleep medications, antidepressants, and a few sleep aids.
Finally, the expert will need to determine if a comorbidity is present, which means that you or your child has another condition that can cause symptoms of ADHD for example, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, or eating disorder. The psychiatrist or psychologist will examine all of the information and come up with the diagnosis.